​Next week, the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust will be encouraging its staff to look at greener ways to travel to work.

The Trust has lined up a number of events and initiatives to mark its participation in Liftshare Week (October 1 to 5), a UK-wide event that encourages two or more people to travel together and thereby reduce petrol costs, congestion and pollution.

Robert Forster, Sustainability Manager at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, says: “This is the first time we have taken part in the Liftshare week and we will be using this opportunity to also promote other schemes to help reduce the Trust’s carbon footprint across its 42 major sites.”

Source East, the East of England's electric vehicle recharging network, operated by EValu8 Transport Innovations Ltd, will be giving the Trust’s staff the chance to test drive a range of plug-in (hybrid and electric) cars at eight sites across Norfolk and Suffolk.

Ian McDonald, Technical Lead for EValu8, explains:: “By holding events like these with potential stakeholders, such as the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, we enable them and their staff to explore low carbon transport alternatives.”

In addition to the plug-in cars, the test drive sessions will offer NHS staff the chance to test ride cycles from the Electric Bike Company.

As part of its Liftshare Week activities, the Trust will also be issuing a comprehensive transport survey to its entire staff and relaunching its Liftshare website.

Robert continues: “Our goal is ultimately to discover our staff’s travel arrangements and help them find greener alternatives. Transport alternatives forms part of the Trust’s wider exercise to reduce its carbon footprint.

Notes for editors:

The press are invited to take photos at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust at the following locations:

• Source East is the public brand name of the East of England Electric Vehicle charging network operated by EValu8 Transport Innovations Ltd. Users of the network will receive Source East membership cards that will provide access to the growing network of charging points in the region. Each post will bear the distinctive Source East brand which follows the style and feel of Source London.

• Membership of Source East will give drivers unlimited free access to these charging points as well as those within the Source London region. A yearly membership costs £10 and gives drivers the resource to access the online membership site which includes an interactive map of all charge point locations; one card to access any charge point on the scheme; and a dedicated call centre.

• Registered in October 2010, EValu8 Transport Innovations Ltd is a company set up by the University of Hertfordshire specifically to deliver the EValu8 project.

• The company oversees the installation of the innovation network and 600 plug-in posts across the East of England, the majority of which will be double recharging points. The posts will located in and around the eight key clusters of Bedford. Cambridge, Ipswich, Norwich, Peterborough, Luton and Hertfordshire and Thames Gateway South Essex.